Z.I.P.

Thanks for your note of optimism!

And again, I catch myself looking (no -- staring) at the box score, asking how we can have a 13 point lead with just 4 assists at halftime, and 6 turnovers?!?. I guess this is going to be a on-on-one "beat-em" team in 14-15. Go Zips!!!

Just a couple of after the fact notes from the "beside the point" folder: I can't tell you how much I enjoy listening to Dino Gaudio call the games on ESPNU. He's the only ex-coach I can think of who doesn't put his resume in your face -- he does his homework (unlike even the non-ex-coach-commentators) and provides you with interesting facts (like e.g., I didn't know BJ is the nephew of Xavier Hall-of-Famer Jamie Gladden, and Deji has a relative in the WNBA!) on top of being able to communicate the intricacies of the game in a fashion friendly to the ear of those who don't like tech-talk and play draw-ups in time-outs. I had a brief chat with Dino before one of our games of the Diamond Head Classic last year, and he's very friendly in person too. I have to place a considerable amount of blame on Frank martin for his team's loss. He just was unable to adapt to Akron's ball drive and place perimeter pressure on the point position before NoRo and Deji (and Ant -- or is it "Tino"?) got down low. AND -- considering how horribly we were able to bring the ball upcourt under pressure -- why in the world didn't he put more press on the Zips?!?! you can bet our next opponents saw that and are going to pressure in the backcourt! How come there wre apparently no South Carolina fans at the game IN South Caroliina -- sounded like more Zips fans at the game? But this is as I said -- "beside thte point". the point is we beat the team that beat us by nearly 40 a year ago in the same state.

I think you will now be able to watch both WBB AND men's football. Thanks to the MAC for rescheduling the Wagon Wheel game to Friday!

Um, well, because he has 12 freshmen on his squad, and they still won 12 games and made the NCAA tournament (only losing on an insulting road pairing in PKs)... This was about as good a result as anyone could have hoped for, in our first real rebuilding year since the Lolla era. Next year will be better, with much higher ceiling. edit -- thanks for the clarification Zach. 17 freshmen! Sheesh.

Well...it finally ended!!! I have no idea how many innings the PKs lasted. Twenty...thirty? At that point you get as numb just watching as the people outdoors in that crazy weather.

I'm guessing this was BEFORE Tino exploded, and the Trojans keeled.

Congratulations to the Zips, and their manic-depressive fan base! You guys are more volatile than energy stocks have been lately. Anyway...having watched the ("marquee name", but not game) Trojans in their last two times on the court on P-12Net -- losing to middle-of-the-Big Sky Portland St. and beating with difficulty a lower OVC Tenn Tech team, I would have been surprised and way past disappointed if Akron had not beaten this group. How good...okay, "bad" is SC? I think they would finish right near Bowling Green in the MAC East. I missed the live video action today (but followed most of it on a gametracker), but from the two games SC I watched, I was expecting a game similar to the last Akron outing versus a PAC-12 team, the game in my back yard last December in the opening round of the Diamond Head Classic against Obama, er, um, excuse me, Oregon State. Like SoCal (okay -- I'm guessing), OSU allowed Akron to get off open jumpers in rhythm (by Reggie and Jake last yr) and Pat had little trouble cleaning up on the boards (very similar numbers to today's near-double-double). I fear an opponent that is less lazy defensively and comes out to defend the perimeter will give Akron fits -- just like their second round opponent in the DHC -- Iowa State did (after Akron took a 20-12 lead 12 minutes into the 1st half). When Quincy went out to lunch -- which was most of the tournament last year -- they had no one except the occasional Deji Ibitayo able or willing to drive the lane, and that fact was eaten up by the Cyclones AND Gamecocks following the solitary victory. Also like last year, the second round opponent is a monster -- did you see the Canes beating Florida a few days ago? They're big, long and talented -- like Akron hopes our team can become with the current personnel. I happen to share the belief that this team can be as good as most of our recent 23-26 win teams. And a lot of that hope rests on the shoulders of the freshmen PGs! Tino (is that now the accepted appellation?) basically put this one away with his make-steal-make from beyond the arc after the Trojans put on their short-lived comeback mid way thru half #2. From a defensive standpoint -- which is the optimal view of the game for Zips coaches and fans -- the big part of victory was the ability to shut down McLaughlin, who was averaging 20 pts and +7 APG coming in. Either we took him off his game, or he just stunk -- either way that is a big part of the 20 pt difference. That heckler -- I hope he took some time to get on the M&M poser for the Troj's -- did you like that white guy -- Reinhart -- with the tats? Thank him for going 2 for 10 according to the stats. I know that tomorrow's game is on TV, but why can't they play an afternoon game? 9:30 in the islands is just too difficult -- in between start of work and lunch break. Now, I have to figure out who these guys on the bottom of the score sheet are -- Walters, Hill and Noble? Welcome to the MACtion, gentlemen!

This week ESPN debuted the new program "Becoming", produced by Bron and Maverick. I thought it was very well done. Anyone else see it?

I've noticed that the NC State transfer, Dunnigan has not played so far. When does she become eligible? Will she push out another starter when she does?

Re: NCAA Tournament selection. Are there any close-to-hard-and-fast-rules regarding at-large entry? What sort of RPI has been required in recent years? Does UNM have a shot? How many bids will go to B10, ACC, BigEast? Thanks to those closer to the game than I. I did happen to see a men's game two weeks ago while I was in L.A. At CSUN, Northridge defeated UC-Irvine -- making it three-out-of-four losses for Irvine following making it to (IIRC) #2 nationally in mid-Oct. They continued on, losing to UC-Riverside in the regular season finale, yet somehow qualified for the BigWest tournament. Now, they're in the final vs CSU-Fullerton, after knocking out UC-Santa Barbara in the semis. Quite a series of ups-and-downs! Santa Barbara now sits on the bubble, with 10 wins. Likely on the outside. For that matter, Irvine (14-5-2) is probably on the bubble too. Their biggest OOC win is over Clemson.

I'm glad to see how far BeeGee's program has come -- especially considering how far it fell!

WOW! I jus'happened to look at the stats for Fairmont State, and...low and behold, Nick's teammate is the son of the greatest name in college basketball history: (God) Shammgod Wells! http://www.fightingfalcons.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2122&path=mbball

Considering that the ballclub has two true freshmen playing the point this season, I hope that Josh Williams is capable of taking on the '2'. When he transferred from Barberton to St. V's and at the same time verballed to Akron two years ago, hypesters here were proclaiming him a future jersey-retiree. I think JW has ability to make some impact in 2015-16. We do not have many "conventional" shooting guards -- though many 'wings' who can shoot the J., so Josh should present the ability to fill that gap that Jake, Reggie, Kwan and Aaron J. don't fit into as easily. How is his slashing ability? Can he take over for Deji nex'year? (That one's for Skip!)

You will absolutely LOVE Boise! Especially the Basque Corner.

Even with our backup QB, we should have won this game. Problem is the dadgum coach left possibly six points on the field by not kicking FGs with the wind at our backs!

Sorry, but where did Pina end up at??

This article only refers to ESPN3 -- not to real television. The Zips were on the ESPN TV platform something like 17 or 18 times last season! My fingers are crossed that that will be repeated.

I don't know how Prosser could say he had never heard of Ball as a HS player in Canton. He was MVP of the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star Game, for Pete's sake! #4Petesake

Meanwhile the Zips Plan B is headed to U@Buff. http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/228678164621061997/milan-forward-nick-perkins-verbally-commits-to-university-of-buffalo-wednesday/ ZipGrad01 says UB gets a strong NAIA prospect!

This topic has gotten much play on the interwebs today! ESPN shows that our dadgum football coach has offered this guy -- without much chance of getting him. On the other hand, he's almost unheard of in soccer -- and hasn't even played club ball! Should Jared offer him -- or should that other dadgum coach bribe Jared to put him on a soccer scholarship? Well, we only have 9.5 of those dadgumit! http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/the91stminute/2014/09/football-or-futbol-big-time-recruit-picks-soccer/?utm_source=All&utm_campaign=general_9_15_14&utm_medium=email http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/195960/drake-davis

Lobo, I don't know if you saw or remember -- but when Drew played in the U-17 World Cup (as Captain) he played right back in the first game of group play -- then the Colombian coach benched him for the rest of the tournament. He played RB in qualifying for that tournament too. Remember him serving a pass to McInerny that scored a goal. He's not DeAndre Yedlin (!), but he's got big-time skill.

Come on ZipsNation! I can't believe you left it to a guy in the Hah Waiian Islands to provide the Trivia Touche' of the Day!: Alex Abreu will be trying to follow in the footsteps of one of the greatest Cleveland Cavaliers of all time -- the legendary Clarence "Footsy" Walker, the pride of West Georgia State. http://www.cavsnews.com/20080316-1044.php

Interesting. First Akron AFB game I think I've watched since the stadium opener vs IU. How different might this game have been if we could have punched the ball into the end zone on that first possession? You could argue that Bowden coached too conservatively, but most of the calls were able to keep us in the game until late. Too bad we had those two drops the first half -- that hurt!

1954! Was that the year the Dallas team finished the year at the Rubber Bowl?? Just askin' -- sounds like you may have been there...